I just now realized that I am a Calvinist!

PrincetonGuy said:

The quote from Romans 8 does not support the false statements that “Man needs to be regenerated by God to even give any attention to the truth. Man in the Flesh, the carnal mind, the Fallen Nature, cannot receive anything from God.” A man who has a carnal mind that is not subject to the law of God may be very interested in the truth and may devote his life to knowing the truth—yet not learn a vital aspect of it. Furthermore, a man who has a carnal mind that is not subject to the law of God may receive very much from God—including truth about his sinful nature and the atonement of Christ—and yet refuse to submit to the law of God.

Moreover, regeneration is not required for repentance. All through the Old Testament, we find unregenerate men repenting and subsequently returning to their sins. The very many religions that we find throughout history and throughout the world incontrovertibly prove that man wants to have a good relationship with God, but he needs to learn how to have it. Very many of these men, upon hearing and understanding how to have a good relationship with God, do not like the terms and therefore refuse to submit—thereby remaining unregenerate.

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Yes. It is true that while man is carnally minded he cannot please God. This is analogous to saying that a man cannot please his wife while staring at a young girl in a bikini. That does not mean a man is unable to look away and please his wife. But while he continues to stare at that girl, his wife is not going to be happy.

And yes, the scriptures show men who were not saved, neither did they have the Holy Spirit, yet they sought God and even pleased God. Cornelius is a perfect example, he was neither saved, nor did he have the Holy Spirit, yet the scriptures call him a devout man that feared God, prayed always, and did many righteous works that God recognized. Because Cornelius sincerely sought God, God sent an angel to tell him to send for Peter where he would hear the gospel and be saved. When Peter came and preached the gospel to Cornelius, he believed and received the Holy Spirit.

Total Inability is false doctrine easily refuted by much scripture.

Men are not always carnally minded, man also has a spirit.

Mat 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

This verse was spoken of the disciples before Jesus was risen from the dead and the Holy Spirit was given to believers (Jhn 7:39), yet the disciples sincerely desired and willed to be obedient to Jesus in their spirits, but their flesh was weak and caused them to fall asleep.

This is exactly what Paul is describing in Romans 7:14-25. Many folks believe Paul was speaking from the perspective of a regenerate man, but this is impossible for several reasons. First, Paul said he was "sold under sin" in verse 14. No born again Christian is sold under sin, we have been redeemed by the blood of Christ. Paul also said he was taken captive to the law of sin in verse 23. This cannot be a saved person, Paul said he had been made free from the law of sin and death in Romans 8:2.

Romans 7:14-25 is clearly answering the question Paul asked in verse 13 of whether the law which was good was made death unto him. Verses 14-25 directly answer this question.

So, Romans 7:14-25 shows that an unregenerate man sold under sin and in captivity to the law of sin can desire and will to obey God, although he finds it impossible to be 100% obedient.

Once we are saved, we do not have to worry about that anymore, we are dead to the law and under grace.

I find myself to be a Harry Calvinist